Immigrated from Newry, Co. Down, (Northern Ireland) in 1839 with their six children on the ship Orleana and were the first settlers at Gawler S.A. (for a more detailed history please visit "The Early Years-John Reid" at The Gawler Web Site)
Their children:
- Eliza married Dr David Mahony, lived in Gawler and had two daughters.
- Richard and Samuel died as young men.
- William, John and Ross returned from the Goldfields in Victoria (Ross from California) and purchased several properties:- Beetaloo S.A., Mount Murchinson, Talarno and Tintanallogy in NSW and several Paddle Steamers (The "Gem","Jupiter","Meninde","Shannon" &"Jane Eliza") and Barges ("Venus" & "Bourke"). Ross purchased and extended Rostrevor (now Rostrevor College) at Magill S.A. and was a well known social and racing identity, and owned the famous race horse "Pride of the Hills".
The children of William, John and Ross
- went to England for schooling
- returned to Australia and spread through NSW, VIC, SA and WA.
- some of the families with whom they married were: Reynell, Wigley, Tremellen, Quin, Laidlaw, Sands, Saies, Thomas, Sharpe, Collins, De Cheneet, Driscoll and Weymouth. For a complete list of families connected to the Reids please see - Index of Surnames